Baking a Cake or Mending a Heartbreak – What Do People Associate Chocolate with

If chocolate is the king of comfort foods and an essential first aid for all types of heartbreak, then one might consider the Swiss extremely depressed with Germans following right behind. As SEO experts we take extra care when interpreting data and though Switzerland ranks as the world’s biggest chocolate consumer, more insight is needed to properly understand the phenomenon.

Among the top ten chocolate consumer only two of the countries are not located in Europe – USA and Australia. Lindt is Swiss and Milka is German and based on the data the two respected nations prove to be the most patriotic chocolate consumers. But, how come Australia beats France? And what are the reasons for Ireland taking 3rd place in worldwide chocolate consumption?

In order to answer these questions we’ve prepared a cultural SEO analysis on what people associate chocolate with when searching online. The research was done with the help of Google Trends where we picked the five most interesting countries among the above ten mentioned biggest chocolate consumers: Switzerland, USA, Ireland, Australia and Norway.

A cultural perspective on chocolate

With the help of Google Trends we analyzed the top 5 search related queries on chocolate in the following countries: Switzerland, USA, Ireland, Australia and Norway. When performing research for each country we respected the native tongue(s) used in the specific territory.

To better understand the top 5 search related queries on chocolate for each country we researched cultural factors behind the results. Many times, national traditions related with chocolate have a significant impact on search results. At the same time current trends in eating habits or what is popular on TV also shape chocolate query rankings.

Chocolate is part of Swiss history

When planning a trip to Switzerland you might notice subpages on informational websites dedicated only to Swiss chocolate history. The first chocolate Swiss brand Callier was started in 1819. With Switzerland having more than 40 chocolate manufacturers it comes as no surprise that when typing in schokolade (chocolate in German) three out of the top 5 related queries were associated with brand names: “lindt” – taking 2nd and 3rd place and “frey” on 4th. A clear indicator of chocolate patriotism is the number one related query “schokolade schweiz” – “swiss chocolate”.

An interesting difference occurs when the search is performed in French – chocolat. It looks as one of the most important national traits of France also spreads across border to their Swiss neighbors – cuisine. Here all top 5 related chocolate queries correspond with baking.

First place takes “recette” which means “recipe”. 2nd and 3rd occupies “gateau” – “cake”, while 4th and 5th place are all about the world-known creamy-puff desert “mousse chocolat”.

But, is the French gastronomic influence really that strong? Did you know that before 1897 chocolate was mainly used for drink recipes? The same year Rodolphe Lindt invented the process of conching which makes the texture of chocolate smoother and silkier and making it easier to bake with. Search queries on chocolate cake and mousse show that the Swiss are proud of being a pioneer in baking with chocolate and are continuing the tradition.

USA – home of the Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ruth Grave Wakefield is the mother of the chocolate chip cookie created in 1938. In the book “Great American Chocolate Chip Cookie Book” food writer Carolyn Wyman describes the cookie as the perfect “antidote to the Great Depression” which brought comfort to millions of people in a “single inexpensive hand-held serving”. The American food icon maintains its popularity and that is why the word “chocolate” is found together with “chip” and “cookie” in all the top 5 related queries.

Irish Breakfast

Looking through search queries associated with chocolate in Ireland, you can notice the clear domination of pastries showing up in particular “cake” and “biscuit”.

The Irish are the world’s second biggest tea drinkers and when it comes to Tea Time there are certain steps one must follow when taking his or her tea. One of them also includes having a proper set of pastries to take with your favorite tea blend. And why not make them chocolate flavored? This explains why the Irish so often associate chocolate with baked goods in their search queries. Biscuit chocolate cake is so popular people devote articles on where to buy the best one in Dublin.

The Great Australian Bake Off

Though the show has been on television only since 2013 “The Great Australian Bake Off” quickly won peoples harts and firmly sustains its popularity. The show created a baking frenzy among Australians where its recipes are becoming neatly collected by baking blogs and recipe websites. That is why Australian’s associate the word “cake” with chocolate, which ranks 1st and 3rd place on the chocolate related query scale. The word “recipe(s)” shows up on 3rd and 5th.

An interesting occurrence is “chocolate factory” on 4th place. As Australians are among the top ten biggest chocolate consumers in the world it explains why chocolate tourism is popular across the country. Chocolate factory tours are organized in manufacturing facilities of all scales – from small town sweet shops to larger plantations like Charlie’s Chocolate Factory.

Expanding your brand overseas is not an easy task. That is why it is always good to work with people who know how to approach international market. At GFluence we help various businesses with executing their international SEO strategy to its fullest potential. Check full spectrum of services that we can provide for your brand.

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